Apparatus for die stamping



March 27, 1934. L, wlLKlE 1,952,152

APPARATUS FOR DIE STAMPING Filed July 31. 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March27, 1934. 1.. A. WILKIE APPARATUS FOR DIE STAMPING Filed July 31, 1933 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEClaims.

An object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved meansfor and method of cutting, forming and punching blanks from stockmaterial.

6 A further object of the invention is the provi- 'sion of a new andimproved mechanism for sweeping a die unit from a press withoutintroducing the hands of the operator between the platen of the press.

Another object of the invention is the provision of new and improvedmechanism for multiplying the speed of operation of a die unit capableof use in a conventional press.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a new andimproved mechanism for removing die units and blanks from a press thatis simple in construction, efficient in operation,

inexpensive to manufacture and which is easily operated and whichassists materially in increasing the output of the die.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appearfrom the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a horizontal section of aconventional press showing the invention associated therewith, taken onthe line l-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a press and the invention securedthereto, with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the press with parts of the inventionattached thereto and parts broken away;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of the die unit showing a modifiedform of the means for attaching the same to the removing arm;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing a modified form of dieunit;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the die unit with the parts separated;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88 of Fig. 6 with the parts assembled;and

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 6.

In my application, Serial No. 634,885, filed September 26, 1932, isdisclosed a method and apparatus for stamping and punching sheet metaland the like. In that application no means were disclosed for removingthe stamping or punching 50 unit from the press employed in theoperation of the unit.

Without some means for removing the work from the press, there is moreor less danger of the hands of the operator being accidentally 55crushed between the press platens. Furthermore,

the speed in production is necessarily limited to a very great extent.

The present invention seeks to remedy these objectionable features bythe provision of new and improved means for removing the stamping orpunching units from the stationary platen in a safe, rapid and efllcientmanner.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference character 10 designates aconventional press comprising the frame 11 on which is mounted thestationary platen 12 (see Figs. 1 and 2) held in position by the clamps13 that engage flanges 14 on said platen for clamping the same to saidframe. The movable platen is shown at 15 and is rigidly secured to thereciprocating head 16 in any suitable manner. As shown, the platen 15 isprovided with one or more upwardly extending projections 17 (see Fig. 3)which are adaptedto enter corresponding recesses in the clamp member 18and be held in position by the bolts or screws 19, as is usual in suchconstructions. The platen 15 may also be provided with guide members 21which are adapted to slidably engage corresponding apertures in thestationary platen 12 for guiding the movable platen in itsreciprocation. Since the detail construction of the press constitutes nopart of the present invention, it is not though necessary to furtherillustrate or describe the same.

Suitable means are provided for stamping blanks from sheet metal. A dieor stamping unit 20 is employed for this purpose. In the form ofconstruction shown, which is by way of example only, this unit which isdisclosed in my former application referred to above, comprises a. dieplate 23 (see Fig. 4) having a die opening 24 therein. The uppermarginal edge of said opening constitutes the cutting edge of the die.The lower portion of the opening maybe enlarged, as at 250, toaccommodate the blanks punched from the stock material. A guide plate 25is secured to the upper face of the die plate 23 by any suitable means,as by the dowels 26 (see Fig. 4). The guide plate 25 is spaced from thedie plate 23 by spacers 27 and 28 at opposite sides of the unit. Thesespacer blocks are of suflicient width and are separated from each otherin order to form a slot or opening 29 through which the stock material31, which may be in the form of a strip of sheet metal, is adapted to beinserted. The guide plate 25 is provided with an opening in verticalalignment with the opening 24 in the die block for receiving the punchelement 32. The length of the punch element 32 is not greater than thethickness of the die unit so that when the punch 32 is in its lowermostposition, it will not project above the upper edge of the plate 25.

In the operation of the unit. the stock material 31 is inserted throughthe slot or opening 29 and the die element is placed in position abovethe opening 24 and the unit is then placed in the press and the movableplaten 15 lowered, which causes the die element 32 to punch the blankfrom the material 31.

It is desirable that after the punching operation. the punch element bereplaced instead of being retracted through the die opening. Theretraction of a punch element through the opening tends to dull orinjure the cutting edge of the die, and, for this reason. means areprovided for removing the blank and the punch element from the die unit.This is accomplished in the present invention by mechanism that will nowbe described. A receptacle 33 having an end 34 is connected to thestationary plat-en 12 in any suitable manner. In the form ofconstruction shown. the receptacle 33 is provided with laterallyextending flanges 30 along its side edges which are adapted to slidablyengage corresponding flanges 390 on guide strips 39 secured to-thestationary platen 12. By means of this arrangement, the receptacle 33maybe removed from the press by pulling outwardly on the same. The frontend of the receptacle 33 is open, whereby ready access may be had to thesame by the operator, as will presently appear.

A plurality of supporting fingers 35. two being shown on the drawings,are attached to the stationary platen 12 and extend horizontally forwardfrom the press over the receptacle 33. The rear end of these fingers areprovided with flanges 36 which are adapted to be clamped to thestationary platen 12 by set screws 37 in such a position that theirupper surface is in alignment with the upper surface of said platen. Theplaten 12 is provided with a plurality of threaded openings 38 wherebythe fingers 35 may be adjustably connected to said platen. After theblank has been punched from the material 31 and the movable platen 15 ofthe press elevated, the die unit is moved forwardly onto the fingers 35which permit the punch element 32 and the blank to drop into thereceptacle 33. The stock material 31 is advanced and the die element removed from the receptacle 33 and replaced in the guide 25 in position topunch the next blank. The unit is then moved back onto the stationaryplaten.

In order to eliminate the necessity for the op= erator placing his handbeneath the movable platen 15psuitable means are provided for moving theunit onto the fingers 35 and replacing the same on the platen 12. In theform of con struction shown. which is by way of example only, a worktable 40 is employed for this purpose. This table comprises a support orpedestal 41 having a base 42 and standard 43 slidably mounted thereonand extending upwardly thereon. on which is pivotally mounted a head 44.The head 44 is preferably provided with a depending socket 45 in which areduced portion 46 of the stand ard or pedestal 41 is rotatably mounted.This table is adjusted for height and held in adjustable position byscrews 53 or other suitable means.

Attached to the upper side of the head 44 is the material supportingtable or member 47 which is preferably U-shape in cross section.Attached to the supporting member 47 is an arm 48 which extendsforwardly therefrom, and may, if desired. be provided with means forconnecting the die unit 20 thereto. In the form of construction shown,the arm 48 is connected to the die unit 20 by means of suitable bolts50, or the like. which extend through openings in said arm and engagetapped openings in said unit. A suitable handle 49 is provided on theside of the supporting member -57 operating said member.

In the operation of device, the material 31 is placed on the a -3 -3 andits inner end passed through the slot 29 i the die unit 20. The materialis held in position by a spring pressed finger 51 that engages in theadjacent blank opening 60. the fingers being beveled to cause automaticrelease when the strip is advanced. The press is now operated forlowering the die element 32 for forming the blank. after which theoperator, by grasping the handle 49 with the one hand, moves the arm 48to dotted line position shown in Fig. 1, with the unit over the fingers35. and with his other hand either catches the blank and punch elementas they fall from the die unit. or removes them from the receptacle 33where they are permitted to fall. He next advances the stock material 31and places the punch element in the guide plate 25 in position to repeatthe cycle. By means of the handle 49 he then moves the arm 48 back tothe full line position shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modified form of means for attaching the arm 400 ofthe work tahie to the unit 200. In this form of! coas the die spacerstrips 270 of the d 256 made with an extending tongue 70.is fastened tothe arm or die sweep 48 by meansof screws, thus aifording a rigidconnection between the arm 48 and the unit 20.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9 is shown a different form of die unit from thatdisclosed in Fig. 4. This construction is a piercing device andcomprises a die block 56 having suitable die openings, such. forinstance. as die openings 57 and 58 therethrough. This unit is adaptedto punch a hole in each end of a blank which is adapted to be held bytwo plates 59 and 61. These plates are rigidly secured to the die block56 and are provided with opposed recesses 62 and 63 for engaging theends of the blank for holding the same in proper position to be pierced.The punches 64 and 65 which cooperate with the die openings are rigidlysecured to the punch plate 66 and extend through a guide plate 67 (seeFig. 8). Suitable means are provided for normally holding the punches intheir retracted position. In the form of construction shown, spiralsprings are employed.

These springs are held in position between the plates 66 and 67 bysuitable bolts 68 rigidly connected to the plate 66 and which extendthrough the guide plate 67 and slidably engaging in the openings 69 inthe die block 56. Suitable guides are provided for guiding the movementof the plate 66 during the operation of the device. As shown, plate 66is provided with depending guide studs 71 which are rigidly secured tothe plate 66 and are adapted to extend through the plate 67 and engagesuitable openings 72 in the die block 56. In this construction, the arm48 may. if de sired. be attached to the die block 56 of the die unit.

In the operation of the device, after the punching operation, arm 48 ismoved to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 which will permit thematerial punched from the blank to fall from the detachably dieopenings, after which the upper portion of the die unit is removed,which will permit the removal of the pierced blank from the holdingmembers 59 and 61. A new blank is placed in position, the upper portionof the die unit replaced and the arm 48 moved to the position shown inFig. 6 to repeat the cycle of operation.

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings that the construction and operation of my devicewill be apparent to those skilled in the art. and that changes in size,shape, proportion and details of construction may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a press having a movable and a stationary platen, areceptacle secured to one side of said stationary platen, the outer endof said receptacle being open, a plurality of supporting fingersextending outwardly over said receptacle, a support, a head movablyconnected to said support and means on said head for sweeping acrosssaid stationary platen and said supporting fingers.

2. In combination, a press having a stationary and a movable platen, astamping unit comprising a die, a guide plate spaced from and rigidlyconnected to said die plate, a punch movable through die and guideopenings in said plates for punching blanks and stock material, asupport, means rigidly connected to said unit and movably connected tosaid support for moving said unit into position between said platens foroperating said punch and into a position from between said platens formoving said punch and blanks from said unit.

3. A device for removing a stamping unit and stamped blanks from thestationary platen of a press, comprising a support, means for verticallyadjusting said support, a head pivotally connected to said support toswing in a horizontal plane, a guideway extending longitudinally of saidhead for supporting and guiding the free end of a sheet metal stripwhile blanks are being stamped from the same; a handle for operatingsaid head. an arm carried by said head and extending forwardly therefromand means on the free end of said arm for connecting the stamping unitthereto.

4. In combination, a press having stationary and movable platens. a dieunit on said stationary member, said die unit comprising a die member, aguide plate, a punch member and means for holding stock material in saidunit, an open ended receptacle adiacent to one side of said stationaryplaten, supporting fingers extending from said stationary platen oversaid receptacle and means movable relative to said stationary platen formoving said unit onto said fingers whereby the blank and die punch ofsaid unit will fall by gravity into said receptacle.

5. In combination, a press having a stationary and a movable platen anda work table comprising a support adjacent to said press, a worksupporting member, means for pivotally mounting said member on saidsupport, to swing in a horizontal plane above said support, an armcarried by said member and adapted to be moved across said stationaryplaten in proximity thereto and means on said arm movable in ahorizontal plane for attaching a die unit thereto.

6. In a work table, a pedestal, a work supporting member mounted on saidpedestal to swing about a substantially vertical axis, said membercomprising a channel element for supporting stock material to beoperated upon, an arm extending beyond the inner end of said member,means on the free end of said arm for attaching a die unit thereto andmeans for swinging said member.

'7. In a work table for use in die stamping, a support, means mounted onsaid support for moving about a vertical axis in a plane above saidsupport, said means having a slideway for receiving and slidablysupporting stock material, an arm extending forwardly from said means,means carried by the outer end of said arm for detachably attaching astamping unit thereto.

8. In combination, a press having a stationary and a movable platen, areceptacle secured to and extending forwardly from said stationaryplaten, a plurality of finger members extending outwardly from saidstationary platen over said receptacle, a piercing unit supported onsaid stationary platen, said unit comprising a die plate, a punch plate,punch elements secured to said punch plate for cooperating with said dieplate for piercing blanks and resilient means for elevating saidelements after the punching operation and means for sliding said unitonto said finger members after the punching operation.

9. A work table for use with a press and die unit comprising a support,a U-shaped material supporting member pivoted to said support to swingin a substantially horizontal plane, an arm extending outwardly fromsaid support in alignment therewith, means on the outer end of said armfor attaching a die unit thereto and a handle attached to saidsupporting member for swinging said arm.

10. In combination, a press having a stationary and a movable platen, astamping unit comprising a die plate having a die opening therethroughand a guide plate having an opening in alignment with the die opening,spacer members between said plates. said members spaced apart to form aguideway, a strip of stock material slidably held in said guideway, apunch element loosely extending through the opening in said guide plateand supported on said material, a

supporting pedestal adjacent to said stationary platen, a stocksupporting element rotatably mounted on, and movable in a plane above,said pedestal. said element supporting the free end of said strip ofstock material. an arm extending forwardly from said supporting elementand

